by Carla Noah Stutsman
Azle voters have approved the creation of a Municipal Development District in the portion of Azle that lies in Tarrant County.
That’s just part of the news emerging from general elections held in the area Saturday, May 11.
All results are considered unofficial until the various city, school, and other boards meet to canvass and certify the results.

City of Azle
In the only contested city council race – for Place 6 – voters chose R. Lee Barrett with 227 votes over Damon Bethurum with 96 votes.… Read the rest

by Carla Noah Stutsman
One man’s hubbub messed up a lot of people’s May 10.
Azle’s annual Relay for Life, along with a jazz dinner/dance, both slated for that date, were called off by authorities.
Plus three Azle schools were put on lockdown and dozens of residents evacuated – all due to a drunken man who beat up his neighbor and retreated into a travel trailer where he lives on Sandy Beach Road just outside the Azle city limits.
In the end, Frank John McKinney, 50, of Azle, was brought out by a Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office tactical or “SWAT” team that fired two tear gas canisters into the travel trailer.… Read the rest

One man was injured Monday, May 6 just before noon in a collision near David Beard’s restaurant on the west side of Azle. Robert Claussen, 77, of Azle, was taken to an area hospital by Azle FD EMS with non-life threatening injuries after a black 2012 Kia Optima driven by Maude Brown, 77, of Boyd pulled out in front of him from a crossover on State Highway 199. Neither Brown nor her passenger, 79-year-old Pedro Sandoval of Fort Worth, were injured in the crash. Claussen was behind the wheel of a maroon 2008 Ford Freestar van. According to the accident report, Brown was cited for failing to yield the right-of-way, and inattention may have contributed to causing the accident.… Read the rest

by Carla Noah Stutsman
Ray Ivey, Steve Parker, and Nate Simmons have been making the rounds – Rotary, Optimist Club, Azle Chamber of Commerce and just about anyone else who will listen – touting all the reasons why voters who live in the Tarrant County portion of the city of Azle should vote for a proposed Municipal Development in Saturday’s election.
Representing the Economic Development Council (EDC) of the Azle Area Chamber of Commerce, the trio encouraged Azle voters to vote “YES” on for the proposition.
According to Ivey, who spoke Monday evening, May 6 to members of a homeowners association, the MDD, if approved, would impose a one half of one percent sales and use tax that would generate an estimated $285,000 annually.… Read the rest

by carla noah stutsman
Members of the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Azle Auxiliary gathered Tuesday to recognize those among them who have dedicated countless hours to furthering the operation of the hospital in the community.
Hospital President Bob Ellzey updated the auxiliary with some numbers.
In 2012, Ellzey said, members of the auxiliary, chaplains, and Attic Reruns volunteers worked 7,392 hours. If those hours had been paid at minimum wage, it would have cost $53,592, Ellzey said.
The auxiliary also contributed $1,500 to the Levis and Lace reception held at the home of Jack and Janet Stevens and a whopping $100,000 toward the remodel of the lobby, relocation of Outpatient Registration Services and clinical managers.… Read the rest

By Mark K. Campbell
The school year might be winding down but Azle High remains a hub of activity – and it’ll remain that way until the 2013-14 school year begins.
Construction on Azle’s indoor practice facility continues to move forward. Tons of dirt has been brought in to raise the level of the of the facility’s floor several feet. As machines and workers create the building, Azle’s spring football drills have been moved to the soccer fields farther to the north.
The indoor facility’s projected completion date is Sept. 1, athletic director Scott Anderson said.… Read the rest

by Carla Noah Stutsman
Three people died while four others escaped with minor injuries Sunday afternoon, April 28, as a result of a fiery collision between two vehicles at the intersection of Jacksboro Highway and Hanger Cutoff Road.
According to Fort Worth Police Lt. Pedro Criado, who spoke to reporters at the scene, shortly before 2 p.m., a Kia Soul carrying five people was westbound on Jacksboro Highway when it collided with a Honda Odyssey minivan occupied by a man and his teenaged son southbound on Hanger Cutoff Road.
Criado told reporters that two middle-aged

Firefighters work to put out flames that took the lives of three people at Jacksboro Highway and Hanger Cutoff Road Sunday, April 28.

by Carla Noah Stutsman
Attention gardeners, non-gardeners, people with gardens, people without gardens, people who want gardens, and, well… everyone else.
The Green Scene 2013 Azle Garden Tour is coming up fast.
Benefiting the beautification of Azle’s Main Street, the much anticipated event runs from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19 and will begin on Broadway Road.
The tour features five beautiful, private gardens brimming with lush plantings and ideas sure to inspire gardeners and non-gardeners alike.
Two of the gardens are sophisticated designs located on the shores of Eagle Mountain Lake; one is a heavily wooded English-style garden, and the remaining two gardens offer hilltop views and outdoor entertaining areas.… Read the rest

One woman was transported to an area hospital just after 5 p.m. Friday, April 19 after a collision at the intersection of FM 730 South and Veal Station Road. Her injuries were believed to be non-life threatening. Although the accident report was not available at press time, the driver of the vehicle told The Azle News she was eastbound on Veal Station Road attempting to turn left onto FM 730 South to go into Azle and did not see the other car. Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman